


Penance

by UlisaBarbic



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, 半妖の夜叉姫 | Hanyou no Yashahime | Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Anime)
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Forgiveness, Gen, Mama Kagome, Married Life, Moroha has a lot of baggage, Past Violence, Poor Moroha, Post-InuYasha, Protective InuYasha (InuYasha), Repairing Relationships, papa inuyasha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29566359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UlisaBarbic/pseuds/UlisaBarbic
Summary: Inuyasha has met up with Ayame and Koga. He and Kagome entrusted their daughter to them and come back to find her sold into servitude. They want answers.
Relationships: Ayame/Kouga (InuYasha), Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	Penance

It was an eruption of the quiet. 

Not pure silence. There was never pure silence among any demon clan, least of all the Wolf Demon clan. Always someone howling or munching or something. All the same, having the quiet broken by the sound of rock shattering and flesh on flesh was a bit more unorthodox than the usual cacophony.

When Ayame came rushing up to investigate the commotion, with Ginta and Hakkaku on her heels, calling “Sister, wait!” the alpha female of the wolf demon tribe was both surprised and not surprised by what she found.

Inuyasha—apparently alive and well—had Koga by the throat, pressed up against the cavern wall, which was cracking under the pressure. Koga, despite all his strength and speed, found himself at a disadvantage, something that took him and his clan off guard. As hard as he pushed, he was not moving his adversary an inch.

How was this possible? Inuyasha’s sword was something to fear, yes, but this kind of strength had never come from him alone. Kōga didn’t think it COULD!

After all, he was full demon. Inuyasha was half.

But there was no doubt that it was Inuyasha domineering this fight. 

Ayame rushed forward, “Inuyasha, stop!” Ginta and Hakkaku stuck close to her side but even they withdrew some. They’d seen Inuyasha fight before but they’d never smelt THIS scent on him.

“It’s...not a half demon scent,” Ginta finally verbalized.

Turning his eyes to face Ayame, there was a dark red tint to Inuyasha’s eyes. He was barely reining in his demon blood and that was a feat. As Ayame looked him over, she saw the elongated claws. The more protruding fangs, the faint stripes of purple on his cheeks. The raw scent of demon blood—Great Demon blood at that—in its purity.

Tessaiga, still at his side, was quivering. Shaking as if caught in a storm, attempting to pull the demon blood back in check. Thus far, all it had managed was keeping it at bay. Apparently, a perceived threat to Inuyasha’s child carried more gumption than a threat to his own life and his demon blood treated it as such.

Eyes narrowed, Inuyasha sniffed the air as Ayame came a bit closer. There was a familiarity to the smells and that pierced the trance of anger. He sniffed again, deeper before speaking, a heaviness and darkness to his voice. “You’re carrying Koga’s pup.”

Ayame held her head high, hands protectively over her belly. “I am.”

Inuyasha eyed her, eyed Koga then dropped the wolf to the ground. Stepping back, he snarled, “Unlike you, I ain’t letting a pup grow up without a father.”

Ayame fell to her knees neck to Koga as he gasped for air and massaged his throat. “What...the fuck was that...about Muttface!”

Inuyasha growled and his fangs shimmered into the low light. “It’s ‘bout my Moroha!”

That seemed to push some seriousness into the Wolf Leader. “Moroha? What about the Spitfire?”

“You. Tell. Me.” Inuyasha all but spat, his teeth ground close together. “You. Tell. Me. Why. She. Was. Sold.”

Koga blinked, jerked. “What? Sold? What the fuck are you talking about?!”

Ayame stepped in between the two. “Stop it!” The ferocity in her tone served as an ice breaker. “We’ll talk about this but I won’t have you two killin’ each other while we do!” She looked to Inuyasha. “You’re angry. I get it, it’s your pup. But let us find some answers instead of killing first, ask questions later?”

The two frowned, glared at one another then said, “Fine.”

Sighing, Ayame stormed off, “Meet by the fire. Let’s eat and talk.”

OOO

“You gave her to someone else?” There was pain in Inuyasha’s voice. “Why? We trusted her to you two, not someone else!”

Ayame answered, “The pack was under stress. We split into three sections then, for food and safety. Because Moroha was part human, we figured she’d be safer where someone could put all their focus on her.” She trailed off. “Koga and I couldn’t right then.”

Burying his hands into tight fists, Inuyasha went on. “And if what she tol’ me...this mentor you left her with, SOLD her.”

Koga had been remarkably quiet this whole time. “She...wouldn’t have done that.”

“Well, she did!” Inuyasha countered, clutching Tessaiga as a reminder to keep his demon blood in check. Ayame was right about one thing—if he wanted answers, he couldn’t keep flying off the handle. “And that pup ain’t no liar!”

Koga had little defense on that because as much as he might dislike it, Inuyasha was right on that account. Little Moroha or Spitfire as he liked to call her, was no liar. “I... Yawaragi wouldn’t...why would she do that? I trusted her to make the pup stronger but not to sell her!”

“Why would she—“ Ayame began. 

“To save her own ass. To pass her debt to my pup. And then the bastard she started working for decided he could use her demon blood spells against her. Nice choice, Koga. Next time, maybe let Naraku watch my kid, eh?”

Koga stayed silent, only biting a chunk of meat off the bone. He wasn’t responding. 

Ayame chimed in. “Yawaragi was one of Kōga’s mentors, Inuyasha. She helped make him into who he is now.”

“Explains a lot.” Inuyasha stood. “Well, Moroha told me she’s dead. Died fighting my girl. I guess you two not knowing about it says SOMETHING for you.”

Koga still stayed quiet.

Inuyasha waited.

Nothing.

“Fine. Least I know what happened now.” He eyed Ayame. “Thanks for THAT at least.” Inuyasha turned sharply and made his way for the cave entrance. 

He didn’t know WHAT he’d expected to find when he came here but it wasn’t this. A part of him ached. He and Koga had never gotten along but to hear this...he’d thought better of the wolf than that. 

Was he being unfair? Sure seemed like Koga had trusted the wolf bitch. And Inuyasha knew all too well what it felt like to find someone you trusted had...failed in returning that trust. And his girl had been upset talking about the wolf’s death so apparently there’s been SOME bond there. 

Didn’t help though. He and Kagome had trusted their girl to Koga and Ayame. To keep her safe. To keep her with something that resembled a family. To keep her away from the pain of having to survive on her own and the damn loneliness that came with her heritage. 

Far as he was concerned, they’d fractured that trust.

He left without another word to anyone.

OOO

“So...they gave her away?”

Inuyasha eyed his wife. Moroha had run outside to relieve herself and they took the opportunity to talk. Inuyasha had so much to say but they wanted their daughter’s input too. Seemed only fair to give Kagome a heads up though. 

“Sure seems like it.” Inuyasha folded his arms. “Ayame said they trusted her but—“

“Trusted who?” Moroha’s re-entry brought a pause to the conversation. The girl was full of energy as ever and had ambushed Inuyasha with an embrace as soon as he’d come home. Inuyasha’s arms ached for all the hugs he’d been denied.

“Your Papa was telling me what Koga and Ayame let him know.” Kagome’s eyes were wet. “Moroha, they...just gave you to this wolf demon? Just like that?”

Pain coated her face though she pushed a cover over it very quickly. Too quickly. Fast enough that you knew she was used to this. Used to putting a mask up. The exact thing her parents had strived NOT to have her endure. “Well, I’d told Koga I wanted to learn to fight better. I was the only non-wolf demon and it showed. I knew I could do better! And he said he’d see what he could do. Then, Yawaragi was there the next day and he told me I was going with her.”

Kagome knelt, took the girl’s hands, “Moroha, we never meant for that to happen. Ever.”

Shrugging, the girl said, “She wasn’t too bad. I mean, I didn’t think she liked me at first but she must have a little bit. And until you came back, that was the closest I had to a mom. She DID teach me to not rely on my demon blood. Said it’d make me lose myself.”

“Least she did that.” Inuyasha scowled. “But you weren’t nobody’s to sell, Crimson.”

Grinding her teeth, Moroha remarked, “She never apologized for that. That made me sour at her for a while. Until we had our final fight actually.” She played with the loose strands on her clothes. “I...still dunno what I think. I miss her. I’m sad she...I’m sad I couldn’t save her. But I’m angry too. Real angry. Is that okay?”

This was another area where Moroha felt so lost. It used to be that she kept emotions to herself because there really wasn’t anyone to share them with or who could be bothered enough to listen. It was the way things were and she’d grown more than accustomed to it. Perhaps not comfortable but she expected it, understood it.

This...her mother kneeling next to her side, tears in her eyes was unfamiliar. It also stirred alien feelings in her gut and she truly didn’t know what to do with them. Keeping them to herself was her common practice but her mother seemed to be urging her not to. It was confusing as all hell!

Warmth flooded Kagome’s eyes, “Little Fire, if you’re angry, sad, betrayed...or all of them at once, that’s okay.”

Was it? How could it be? Didn’t they contradict each other? Wasn’t it bad to speak ill of the dead? Could she both love and hate her mentor at the same time? Could she?!

Grabbing her hair tightly, Moroha trembled and shouted aloud, more to herself than anyone, “Shut up, shut up, shut up! I don’t WANNA deal with all this.”

A moment later, clawed fingers slowly made their way through her hair and yes, that felt so good. She stilled her shouting and opened her eyes, cursing at her stupid outburst.

“Papa, I didn’t mean you or Mama should—“

“I know.” His answer was solemn. “Of all things, I know this, Crimson. And ya don’t hafta deal with anything. Your emotions ain’t somethin’ you have to fix. Just let ‘em be what they are.”

She blinked at him. 

“I know you’re probably thinking that they ain’t right or you shouldn’t be feeling them or all kind of other shit but that ain’t true. Feel what you feel, Crimson. Took me a while to learn that.”

Kagome added, “He’s STILL learning sometimes.”

Inuyasha scowled at her but said nothing.

Moroha took all this in, tucking a loose strain of hair behind her ear. “Well, that’s kinda dangerous cause right now I just wanna destroy somethin’ or punch somethin’ or...I wanna damage somethin’!”

Inuyasha stood, cracked his neck a bit “Okay. Let’s go.”

Moroha blinked “Go?”

“We got a big ol’ slab of land behind us that ain’t ever gonna grow nothing anyhow. If ya needa destroy some stuff, let’s go destroy some stuff.” He added, at a look from Kagome. “Away from the hut.”

OOO

Kagome watched them quietly. A bit unorthodox maybe but Inuyasha was right. If Moroha needed to get emotions out physically—and given how much she was like her father, that wasn’t surprising—then, they’d let her. As it was, they were leaving deep gorges in the ground, Moroha was charging her father, fists ablaze but it seemed to be cooling down her head.

“Kagome.”

The woman went rigid, her bones hard. Without turning around, she answered, in a voice clipped with ice, “Koga.”

“I came to—“

“Don’t.” Her voice stayed hard and she still didn’t turn around. “Inuyasha told me.”

“Figured he would.” The voice faltered, slightly, “Kagome, if you would let me—“

“Explain?” She whirled around finally and she drew her bow at the same time, the purple tinted arrow pressed right up against Koga’s neck. “What is there to explain, Koga? We trusted our daughter to you. _I_ trusted my daughter to you. Inuyasha wanted nothing to do with you. I had to _convince_ him that you would take care of her!” Her arm trembled. “And then I find out...all THIS?!”

Koga winced. Her anger, the utter betrayal he saw in her eyes cut him deep. She’d never drawn her weapon on him before and he was seriously wondering how long she’d hold that arrow taut. Her spiritual energy was already starting to burn. “I know. I came...to offer penance to Moroha.”

That stilled her anger a moment. “You really didn’t know about all this, did you? Inuyasha told me you and Ayame had no clue about her getting sold but I didn’t believe it.” She narrowed her eyes, “HOW you didn’t know I don’t understand...”

She did lower her bow though. “Inuyasha! Moroha!”

They’d started over as soon as she started shouting and Moroha darted in front of her mother and bared her fangs at Koga with a low hiss.Inuyasha looked ready to pull his head right off and after what he’d witnessed, Koga was pretty sure he might succeed.

“Wolf-Breath, what the hell are you doing here?”

“None of your concern, Muttface. I’m not here to bug you. I’m here to see Moroha.”

“Why? She’s my daughter, it sure as fuck is my business.”

Fair point. “Offering penance.” He answered and directed his attention to Moroha before falling on one knee in front of her. “If she’ll take it.”

“Penance?” She lost her growl. “You came to ask me to forgive you?”

“No.” The Wolf Leader answered. “If you choose to give me that, fine but I’m not asking it. I’m saying I have a debt to pay you.” He eyed her. “I know I didn’t do the best I could have by you. I know me saying that I trusted her to do the right thing doesn’t mean anything. Shit still happened and it ain’t fair.”

“No,” Moroha folded her arms. “It ain’t.”

Koga eyed her. “So, I’m in your debt, little Moroha. I was supposed to protect you. I didn’t. Doesn’t matter why, I failed. So I’m in your debt. Until you consider it paid.”

Heaving a loud sigh, Moroha remarked “I don’t like anyone to be in debt. Trust me, it’s sucks.” She folded her arms behind her head. “If you wanna pay me back in any way then stop fighting with Papa.” Her eyes narrowed. “I know what it’s like to be called names because of your blood. The other pups did it all the time. You’re an adult...I guess. So why do you do it?”

Koga frowned. Because they didn’t get along? Because he thought Kagome could do better? Because...well, because full demons and half demons always were at odds. Just like humans and demons.

Yet here was Moroha, a living, breathing testament that it didn’t have to be that way. She stood there—strong, confident but still leaning a bit into the safety of her parents’ shadow. 

A safety he’d failed to provide for her.

Koga stood, offered his hand out to Inuyasha. “I doubt we’ll ever be close friends but if it’s what Moroha wants, fine....”

Moroha looked up at her father and he crumbled under her eyes. “You oughta put a warning on those.” He muttered but accepted Koga’s offer with a firm grip.

Kagome spoke, “Koga, I don’t know where we’ll go from here. We’ll be allies, for Moroha’s sake. But whatever trust you had from me...it’s gone.”

He nodded, head a bit dipped. “I can’t blame you. Maybe the Wolf Demon tribe can win it back some day. If you need a hand, you know where to find me.” He turned and headed for the horizon. Moroha could have asked him for ANYTHING. 

She hadn’t. 

He paused, turned, “You’ve got a good daughter, Kagome...Inuyasha.”

Inuyasha frowned, “I know. Maybe yours will be too.”

It wasn’t exactly a rousing endorsement but it was something. Given where they stood, Koga was willing to take that. 

“...thanks.”

Then he was gone.


End file.
